Deamonne

CHAPTER 3

______
Julia
The Shattered Vales

I stared at the sky for the nth time since I'd lost count. It remained dark, clouds shifting along the wind but never clearing out. It had been quite long for it to still remain pitch dark.

"When will it be day again?" I asked Berthias as I rested with my back against the bark of a small tree. My legs were folded against my chest as it grew colder.

'Not anytime soon. I suggest you continue walking. You have sixty-nine and a half days remaining.'

"What exactly is my purpose? I have already awakened the... Devil but what else? And what are the chances he won't kill me too?"

'You will have to make a choice between saving the people... or the devil.'

I frowned in confusion. If I was to help the people, I would die at the hands of the Devil. But how was I to save him instead?

'As for your second question, he is currently trying his best to protect you.'

"Huh?! Why? From what? Is he going to find me?"

'Do not be unnecessarily loud.'

"You know I don't belong here and all of this is- It's too much to cope with. I'm still trying my best to understand and you're telling me the devil is- Why?! And what's in the West? Why are you making me go there? And I swear to God if you say the Devil is in the West I-"

'He is.'

"

You said I could decide then why are you leading me to the Devil?! What if I want to side with humans?!"

'You mortals are so obnoxious.'

"And what are you?"

'An immortal.'

"Right, and you can use magic and this place has those fantasy creatures and monsters and all the ridiculous shit one can come up with."

Berthias was silent for about ten seconds before he chuckled. But it was not a pleasant one. He was mocking me yet again.

'How did you guess that with your level of intelligence?'

"Wh-" I wasn't even in the right mind to finish. I wiped the sweat off my face, slapping both my palms on my face and sighed deeply. The soft, chilly wind dried the tears in my eyes, not allowing them to trickle down my face.

'Jul-'

"Stop. Shut up. I need some space right now." I cut him off as he began.

'Alright.'

And then in complete silence, I began thinking or rather, deciding my own fate in Celesteria. I was probably surrounded by monsters but I wished to not enquire about it or else I would be too scared to move ahead. The real question was, where do I go?

The humans in the Kingdom, who did not spare a child and left him to die among monsters in a desolate place?

Or the Devil in a slumber, who would soon wake up and wreak havoc upon Celesteria?

The Devil must have enormous strength for the people to be afraid of him. If I side with the Devil, I'd probably survive. And if I choose the people over the Devil, I'd be one of his targets. But making a choice between these two is not as simple as it seems.